"I tell him I tried. I tried to keep memory alive; I tried to fight those who would forget. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. There is so much injustice & suffering crying out for our attention. We must take sides. We must interfere. -E.W.

Austin Vantrease Prison Custody Transferred

I swear, I so want to move off the topic of Austin Vantrease. I really do! Yet, he keeps popping up in the news and my email. I guess there’s simply no way for him to go unnoticed. His every move is watched and reported. Ah, felons… what are you gonna do with them?

As the victim’s family of the violent assault by Austin Vantrease (of Newark, Delaware) on my son, we receive periodic updates on prison custody status. I bet we know where Vantrease is even before he does. I get these several ways. One is by email. Another is by an automated phone notification.

This happened within hours of Vantrease’s transfer last week. Here is the email:

This e-mail is to inform you that AUSTIN VANTREASE has been transferred from Huttonsville Correctional Center as of 7/24/2013. The offender is now in the custody of McDowell County Correctional Center. Your registration with VINE has also been transferred. You will continue to receive updates about this offender.

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact the Division of Correction’s Central Office during business hours by calling (304) 558-2036. After hours, please contact the Charleston Work Release Center by calling (304) 558-2763.

This notification is sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Corrections’ Victim Notification Service. It is our hope that this information has been helpful to you.

Sincerely,

West Virginia Division of Corrections

I haven’t look into his new digs (Welch, WV), other than popping out to the West Virginia Department of Corrections website. Here is what they provide:

County owned agency that is contracted through the West Virginia Division of Corrections to house minimum to medium class stateinmates.

In August 2001, McDowell County’s Economic Development Authority (E.D.A.) purchased the former Stevens Clinic Hospital. The purpose of this purchase was to renovate the structure for use as a medium security correctional center.

The McDowell County Commission operates this center as well as the only privately owned correctional center in the state of West Virginia.

The Welch Facility has a maximum capacity of 108 inmates, while the Stevens facility has a maximum capacity of 322. McDowell County has been housing Division of Corrections overflow since 1999.

McDowell State Prison (Welch, WV)

For the Vantrease family, it appears the one-way drive to visit their violent, offender son is about eight hours from their home in Newark, DE. This is roughly the same as driving to Huttonsville prison, time-wise. In milage, it adds 40 more round-trip.

Awwww, poor bastards!

For me, I really don’t give a damn where he is locked-up. On the surface, this new facility appears to be less accommodating than Huttonsville Prison but I cannot vouch for that. I might look into it (but probably won’t) by seeing what is provided by former inmates and families on websites like prisontalk.com. Eh, I doubt I will, actually. Still, of anyone knows about this prison please feel free to share it with us.

Here’s what I’ll find interesting. Will it take Austin Vantrease nine months to apply for and get a prison job?

Comments

Ken, thanks for keeping us utd on the convicted felon. On another note, I’m wondering if you and Ryan will be outside to enjoy some of this GREAT weather???? We think of Ryan every day and share his tragic story with whoever will listen.

Hi Ken, I’m sure having to deal with this is exhausting you. I mean, every time I see the VanTrease name, all I can think of is how cold, deceitful and arrogant they have been. From all appearances, nothing has changed since 11/07/09. The VanTreases still insist Austin was wrongfully convicted, they still claim Austin is doing everything he can to pay his restitution, and that he is remorseful. If the old cliche that actions speak louder than words is true, then the VanTreases have only demonstrated their lack of caring and concern about what Austin’s violent actions did to Ryan and your family.

I say all this as a reminder to any VanTrease family members and friends who might be reading this. If you continue to live in denial about the heartbreaking reality of what Austin has done to Ryan and his family, the deep wound will never heal. The first step to a genuine apology is acknowledging exactly what Austin did – no deflecting blame onto Ryan or anyone else – and recognizing how Austin’s actions have devastated the Diviney’s lives. The second step is to stop making public statements that only add to the Diviney’s pain. The third step is to find tangible ways to help Ryan. Hundreds of strangers have done this; so should you. The fact that you have not done so to date is startling.

Ken, I am praying for you, Ryan, Kari, Sue and all your family. I’m sorry you must constantly deal with such negative stuff. Sending you love, hugs, prayers for renewed energy and a refreshed spirit – and always for continued healing for Ryan.

Not trying to sound like a smart a*& here Ken but the only way the VanTrease clan can get to Welch in less then 10 to 11 hours would be by helicopter. They are about to learn first hand why West Virginia is called the “Mountain State”.

I am from WV,not too far from Welch where he is at now,maybe a little over an hour drive or so and I have to agree that the whole Vantrease family are in denial,wrong place at the wrong time,what a load of BS,I also agree that the come off as very arrogant and if they know what’s good for them(which from the looks of it they don’t) they will leave that arrogant attitude at home b/c they just might have someone do to them what Austin did to Ryan,it’s pretty rough down that way!

Sshhh, stop telling them how to clean up their act. Let them continue to do what they are doing, being stupid and thinking they are above the law and see how far they get. Perhaps someday they will fall to their knees and realize what has been done to Ryan and after vomiting for hours and screaming in the pain they have caused they will understand and try to make real restitution. But don’t give them ideas about to clean up their act. They just seem like white trash to me. (And I call myself white trash all the time, I come from a trailer in Morgantown so I really am white trailer trash.)

When my father in law was first injured and became a quad, I would dream that it was me and I would wake up screaming because I couldn’t move my body. Then when the shock of the dream went away and I could move once again and feel the sheets under my body, I curled up in a ball and sobbed. For months every morning in the shower I just bawled my eyes out. The only thing that could be done, I did, I tried to help. He is getting better, starting to walk, most of his feeling is back and at 80 he is on his way to recovery.

No one did anything to him but it still made me want to vomit and there were hours upon hours of sobbing and crying not knowing how to help or how to deal with it all. But after I was done with my pity party, there was work to be done and we did it. Got him better, healed his bed sores, got him stronger, pushed him farther and did the right thing.

White trailer trash from the wrong side of the tracks, again literally, grew up and GREW UP FAST! Stop giving those people ideas how to be normal caring loving and responsible people.